Marquez vs Pacquiao is ESPN’s KO of the year

MANILA, Philippines – Juan Manuel Marquez’s 6th round knockout of Manny Pacquiao was named Knockout of the Year for 2012 by sports network ESPN.

The recognition was not surprising. In the 4th bout between the arch rivals, where both boxers promised to finally settle the score after 3 controversial and close fights, underdog Marquez dropped world champion Pacquiao with a short right, with a minute left in the 6th.

Pacquiao fell face first on the canvas, his first knockout since 1998.

“The knockout was as aesthetically pleasing as it was shocking and historically significant. Obviously, it’s the 2012 ESPN.com knockout of the year,” the ESPN article read.

So important was the knockout that Pacquiao dropped from the top spot to number 7 on the RING Magazine’s pound-for-pound rankings, while Marquez rose from 6th to 3rd after the fight. 

The article went on to add that Filipino-American fighter Nonito Donaire’s 3rd round knockout of Jorge Arce was also one to remember.

“Donaire authored the 2011 knockout of the year with his sick stoppage of Fernando Montiel to win two bantamweight titles. This crushing knockout of Arce wasn’t far off as Donaire wrapped up his 2012 fighter of the year campaign and retained his junior featherweight title in emphatic fashion,” it said.

Earlier, ESPN named Donaire the Boxer of the Year. He sits at the 6th spot on the RING’s pound-for-pound list. – Rappler.com